For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17 NKJV)

When it comes to the subject of salvation there are several schools of thought…salvation by works…salvation by faith…salvation by faith and works…salvation by grace.  Only one of these is true.  Which one could it be?  Well, before identifying the answer to this question I think that it would be best to expose the fallacies that exist in the beliefs that are not true.

Note: I realize that this article is quite long, and it may even seem trivial to you at some point. Nevertheless, it is important to examine these things to see where we really stand in our understanding of the gospel.  Of course, it also provides you with answers that can be used to address those who hold to certain positions that do not agree with the truth as it is in Jesus.

So please be sure to read the whole article. If you need to, just take it in parts. But I encourage you to read the whole article to see the full picture of what I am sharing here. I believe that this subject is important enough to take the time to do that.

Salvation by Our Works

Some people believe that we can be saved by what we do, that is, they believe that we are saved by our works. But can this be true? Well, let’s think about it for a moment: to say that we are saved by our works is to attempt to create a messiah out of the things that we do. This, of course, is nothing short of idolatry. And since God commands us to flee from idolatry, how can we be saved by what we are commanded to stay away from? (1Cor. 10:14)

Incidentally, the Bible is very clear on this matter as it states that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6 NKJV). Hence we are obviously not saved by our works.

Salvation by Faith

It is quite common to hear people say that we are saved by faith. But I ask, where in the Bible does it say that salvation is by faith? It doesn’t say that anywhere! Granted, it does say that we are saved ‘through faith’; but the ideas of being saved ‘by faith’ and ‘through faith’ do not foster the same meaning. For to say that we are saved by faith is to make faith the source of our salvation, whereas the expression, ‘through faith‘, suggests that faith is but a means to salvation. Not the source of it.

You see, when you say that you are saved by faith you are essentially making your faith the object of your salvation. I realize that this is likely unintentional; but how can it be possible for you to be saved by faith when faith must look to and rely upon something outside of itself in order to exist? In other words, Christians exercise faith in the promise of Jesus Christ for salvation. Thus it’s not faith that saves us; rather, it is the object of its focus which saves. And that is the promise of Jesus Christ for salvation to all who believe in Him. Of course, this translates to Jesus Christ being the one whom we look to and rely upon for salvation. Not our faith.

For if you say faith saves you then what else are you really saying but that you have substituted Jesus Christ for faith as the source of your salvation? Hence we can’t be saved by faith.

Salvation by Faith and Works

There are those who believe that we are saved by faith and works. But if we can’t be saved by works or by faith, then how can we be saved by faith and works?

To say that we are saved by faith and works is to suggest that God needs our help in order to save us. Thus, to some degree, it would still constitute salvation by works on our part as it would indicate that we would have to exercise something from ourselves in order to make up for something that God supposedly lacks within Himself to make salvation a reality.

Hence we can’t be saved by faith and works because God is both omniscient and omnipotent, and doesn’t therefore need us to help Him make a way to salvation.

Salvation by God’s Grace

If we are not saved by works, nor by faith, or by a combination of the two, then what are we saved by? Exactly what the Bible tells us!

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Unfortunately, people have a tendency to interpret the expression, ‘through faith’, as being one and the same with the expression, ‘by grace’, and therefore conclude that it is by grace and faith that we are saved. But remember what I had said about ‘by’ and ‘through’; they are not the same, because ‘by’, within this context, represents the ‘source of’ something while ‘through’ represents the ‘means to’ the source.

Therefore, salvation can’t be by grace and faith as then it would look like this: by grace and by faith. Thus both become the object or source of salvation. But that is not what the Bible says. The Bible says, ‘”by grace you have been saved through faith“; there is only one object or source of salvation here. Not two. So why then would anyone say ‘by grace‘ and ‘by faith‘ when the Bible says ‘by grace‘ and ‘through faith‘? Indeed, we must take the Holy Scriptures as they are and not add meaning to them if we desire to understand what God really wants to tell us.

Incidentally, the act of exercising faith in God’s promise for salvation would not be possible if it weren’t for Him speaking it into existence. For, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 NKJV) And since God doesn’t have to communicate with us, but does so freely out of love, God speaking to us is therefore an act of grace. What this means then is that faith can not be equal to grace as faith results from it. Hence grace not only precedes faith; it is the author of it. For by speaking God makes it possible for people to exercise faith in what He has said.

Let’s sum this up: It is by God’s grace that we are saved, as faith is not the source of salvation, but rather the means to the source of salvation. Faith within this context, is the acknowledgment that an opportunity for salvation is present as a result of God’s grace. For without grace faith has no purpose, because faith must look to and rely upon something outside of itself in order to be meaningful.

And what does faith look to and rely upon for meaning? It looks to and relies upon what Jesus Christ accomplished by dying for us; that is, as a result of what He did for us, sinners, through faith in Him, can be reconciled to God, and justified in Christ, and Sanctified in the Spirit, and glorified in Eternal Life! All of this is the result of God’s grace, and we are therefore saved by grace through faith, because God’s grace not only makes salvation possible; it is also the author of our faith.  Hence all the glory goes to God.

If by Grace Why Not Save Everyone

If salvation is by grace then why wouldn’t God just save everyone? Is He being unfair by saving some while not saving others?

It is important to understand that because God is love free will exists. For where free will is absent there can be no love, but only tyranny. Therefore, free will should be acknowledged as a testimony to God’s grace, because if God were to give humanity what it deserved the human race would have been wiped out and effaced from existence long ago. But that hasn’t happened because God is just; and because He is just He has given us an opportunity to be reconciled to Himself through Jesus Christ. Thus our free will owes its existence to God’s grace.

What this means then is that each person will either choose to exercise faith in and receive God’s love, or they will choose to reject Him and thus walk in darkness. Therefore, it shouldn’t be assumed that God isn’t fair because some choose to exercise faith in Him while others choose to deny Him. You see, God is fair not only because He has allowed us to live while knowing from the beginning that we would reject Him on some level, but also because He has given us an opportunity to turn from our wicked ways and be reconciled to Him. In other words, He is fair in that He gives us what we want. Some choose life while others choose damnation. No one is to blame for the choices that we make but us.

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4 NKJV)

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:11-13 NKJV)

The Role of Works in Salvation

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV)

Notice how Paul used the expression, ‘prepared beforehand’, in the verse above. What this means is that anything that we do in the name of Jesus Christ that constitutes a good work, is the result of the power and influence of God working within our lives. Thus we can’t take any credit for anything good that comes out of us as it is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God that we are able to produce good fruit.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 NKJV)

Therefore, it isn’t possible to be saved by what we think to be ‘our’ good works; yet it is impossible to be saved without good works, because the act of God saving us is, in itself, a good work; and this good work will result in His good works being manifested in and through us. In other words, the good works that we do are actually manifestations of the power and love of Jesus Christ working within us through the Holy Spirit. Hence the good works which we do out of love for and in the name of Jesus Christ indicate that we are one with Him, as those who truly desire to be one with Him will eagerly seek to walk in obedience to everything that He commands.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15 NKJV)

Of course, this certainly throws out the idea of ‘cheap grace’, which is the belief that we can live as we please with impunity and still be saved by Jesus Christ. Such a belief is obviously false because it has nothing to do with exercising faith in God, but everything to do with assuming the role of God in that presumption is given precedence over His voice within the heart. After all, those who are being saved are recreated in Christ Jesus for good works, not sinful indulgences.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NKJV)

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7 NKJV)

Hence, faith without works is dead, and does not result in obtaining salvation. (See James 2:20)

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)

Putting It All Together

We are not saved by faith, nor by works, or even by a combination of the two; rather, we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and will therefore demonstrate that salvation is present within us by living in obedience to His voice. (Php. 2:12). This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I am not ashamed to share it with you, because, “it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16 NKJV)

Do you believe it? If so, are you showing the world what it means to walk in salvation?

Objections to My Position on Salvation By

Below you will find links to articles that I have written in response to some objections that I have received to my position on salvation:

• The Preeminence of God’s Grace – Part One
• The Preeminence of God’s Grace – Part Two

• Go back to: Articles on Important Issues
• Go to the next article: Cain Worship